Target wheel



May 3, 1955 H. c. JOHNSON TARGET WHEEL 2 Shaw s-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 20, 1952 INVENTOR.

HAROLD C. JOHNSON BY ATTORNEY May 3, 1955 H. c. JOHNSON TARGET WHEEL Filed Oct. 20, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

HAROLD C. JOHNSON ATTORNEY TARGET WHEEL Harold C. Johnson, Portland, ()reg.

Application October 20, 1952, Serial No. 315,665

4 filaims. (Cl. 273-1) My present invention comprises an amusement device of the type for selecting a number, character, color, or other indicia by chance coupled with a degree of skill. The present invention is particularly designed for bedridden invalids and serves not only to relieve the monotony of long periods of convalescence but also as a therapeutic agent in encouraging the use of certain muscles such as those of the hands and arms.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means of the amusement device character whereby convalescents including bedridden patients, and others, may play certain games involving the selection of certain symbols such as numerals, characters, or colors. The present invention may be utilized by players having certain cards such as Bingo cards, ticktacktoe cards, or checker boards, whereby the act of selecting a certain indicia determines the character of play or movement of pieces on the card or board. Numerous competitive games may thus be played in accordance with rules which may be supplied along with cards or game boards and movable pieces to be utilized therewith.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a game device of the character disclosed, in which a plurality of targets mounted on a selector wheel may be individually selected, the target moving to a clearly distinguishable position upon being selected so that the player may know his next move, and in which the target is automatically returned to its normal position upon continued rotation of the selector wheel. By reason of this construction invalids are enabled to play, since the player need not restore the targets to their normal position after each actuation thereof.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device of the character described requiring a certain degree of skill, rather than mere chance selection, thereby training an invalid or small children in the use of skillful restraint of their actions in selecting a playing indicia. This object is achieved in part by the use of resilient bumper means associated with the movable targets which, it struck with an excessive force, will immediately cause the target to rebound into its normal position and nullify the players selection.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device of the foregoing character which is sturdy, easily constructed from inexpensive materials, and able to withstand impatient or rough handling.

The objects and advantages of the present invention may be more readily ascertained by inspection of the accompanying drawings taken in connection with the following specification, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated and described.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a hospital bed having the present invention mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, rear view of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of a nit rates Patent 2,7fi7fi34 Patented May 3, 1955 part of the invention, with parts broken away to illustrate the details;

Fig. 5 is a side view of Fig. 4, taken substantially from the plane of the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and v Fig. 6 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially along line 66 of Fig. 2.

The present invention comprises a selector wheel or disc 10 which may be made of half-inch plywood, plastic, or other suitable material, which is rotatably mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis exemplified by the bolt 11 maintained at the upper end of a pair of vertical standards 12 and 13. The lower edge of the rear standard 13 supports a fixed, felt-lined clamping jaw 14 with which cooperates a movable, felt-lined clamping jaw 15 operably mounted upon a pair of clamping screws 16 having capstan heads indicated at 17, whereby the device may be clamped onto the top rail 13 of the foot of an ordinary hospital bed, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The lower edge of the front support is held at a considerable space from the rear support by a transverse board 19, whereby relatively firm support may be provided for the game device by reason of the front support 12 resting upon the foot of the mattress, as illustrated in Fig. l. A strap 20 having one end attached to the rear end of the bolt 11 may be utilized to tie the device to the bed frame, the strap normally being coiled and retained on a hook 2.1. It is to be appreciated that various other means may be provided to mount the present invention upon a bedstead or to support it in some other manner.

The bolt 11 is suitably held against rotation in the supports 12 and 13 and the wheel 1%) is mounted for relatively free rotation thereabout on a hub 22. A ratchet 23 is fixed to the inner end of the hub 22 and frictionally bears against a flanged drum 24 journaled on the bolt 11 and held in spaced relation to the support 13 by a spacer collar 25. The drum houses a spiral spring 26, one end of which is fixed to the bolt 11 and the opposite end of which is fixed to the drum, as seen in Fig. 4. A flexible pull cord 27 having a knob 28 at its free end extends through an opening in the support 12, passes about a guide pulley 29 mounted on the support 13 above the crossboard 19, and is partially Wrapped around the drum 24 when it is in normal position. The inner end of the cord 27 is connected by a short wire 36 to one arm of a double-arm dog 31 pivoted at 32 on the surface of the drum. A spring 33 suitably connected to the dog and to its pivot normally maintains the arm of the dog against an abutment 34 on the surface of the drum so that the dog is clear of the teeth of the ratchet 23, while pulling upon the cord 27 causes the arm of the dog to engage an abutment 35 and thus cause rotation of the drum against the force of the spring 26. This action engages the dog 31 with one of the teeth of the ratchet 23 to cause the ratchet and selector wheel to rotate with the drum. At the end of a short pull on the cord 27 the tension may be released, permitting the spring 33 to return the dog against the abutment 34, thus permitting the selector wheel 10 and the attached ratchet 23 to continue rotation in a free-wheeling manner. The spring 26 then returns the drum with the attached dog to the normal position illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5.

A plurality of targets 36 are mounted in openings 37 arranged in a concentric circle around the wheel 10, the targets comprising beveled plugs of suitable material and of substantially the same thickness as that of the selector wheel, and the targets having substantially the same diameter as the diameter of the openings 37 so that they fit snugly within the openings. However, the edges. of the targets 36 are beveled so that only a small portion thereof frictionally engages the side wall of the opening so that they may be pushed rearwardly from the openings by the exertion of a slight force. A springurged ball check device, indicated at 38, is mounted in an opening in the periphery of the wheel 10 in radial alignment with each target and a striker plate 39 having a depression in which the ball may engage is mounted upon the outer edge of each target so that a somewhat posi- "ve, friction retaining means is provided. Each target 36 is mounted on the free arm 46 of a hinge, the inner arm 4-1 of which is fixed to the rear surface of the selector wheel, the pintle portion of the hinge lying across a radius of the selector wheel so that upon rearward displacement of any target it may move rearwardly through an arc toward the axis of rotation of the wheel. A resilient bumper in the form of an outwardly projecting, spiral spring, is suitably mounted on the inner end of each fixed arm 41 of the hinges, the target striking the outer end of the resilient bumper 4-2 when it reaches the end oi its inward swinging movement, as illustrated in dash outline in Fig. 3. The resilient bumper spring is so designed as to cause rebound of the target back into the opening 37 in the event that it is struck with suflicient force.

In order to select a symbol while the selector wheel is in movement, a striker is actuated, the striker being pivotally mounted to move upwardly in a vertical plane including the axis of the wheel so as to engage the wheel or one of the targets when uppermost. A certain amount of chance is thus involved in selecting the symbol, but with practice a certain degree of skill may be achieved by anticipating the target which will be engaged when the striker has reached the limit of its movement. The striker comprises a semispherical knob 43 mounted at the end of the free, upwardly projecting arm 44 of a hinge, the lower arm 45 of which is mounted on the upper end of the standard 12. A light coil spring 46 is tensioned between the arms of the hinge so as normally to maintain the striker in an outwardly and upwardly inclined position as illustrated in Fig. 3, an abutment 47 being provided to limit outward movement of the striker. The arm 44 is connected to one end of a second pull cord 48 which passes through a guide 49, downwardly behind the standard 12, through a second guide 50, about a pulley 51 and forwardly through an opening in the standard 12, the pull cord 48 terminating in a second knob 52. The knobs 28 and 52 are at the ends of cords sufiiciently long to be grasped by a patient lying in the bed upon which the device may be mounted. The cords, when not in use, may be wound upon suitable brackets 53 mounted upon the standard 12.

In order to operate the device, the player tugs the cord 27, thus starting the wheel rotating in a counterclockwise direction. The player then tugs the cord 48 to cause the striker knob 43 to eject one of the targets 36 from the plane of the board. If this is done too forcibly the bumper 42 causes the target to rebound back into position, which may, according to the rules of the game, nullify the play. if the target remains in its ejected position, it will nevertheless automatically return to its normal position in the plane of the board when the target reaches a position beneath the axis of the wheel. Two or more of the devices may be employed by convalescent players in adjoining beds, or one of the devices may be employed with the players taking alternate turns at the pull cords. A degree of uncertainty may be imparted by having one player operate the selector wheel while another player operates the striker. To this end the device is so arranged that one of the pull cords may be passed to a player in a bed adjoining the bed upon which the device is mounted.

It is to be appreciated that the targets 36 may be painted different colors, or may carry numerals, letters or other symbols which indicate a move or play of the player. The targets may have various values assigned to them whereby a player may arrive at a winning position by having the highest total value for a series of struck targets.

Having illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the same permits of modification in arrangement and detail. All such modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the appended claims are considered to be a part of my invention.

l claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a rotatable wheel, means mounting said wheel for rotation about a horizontal axis, a plurality of targets normally irictionally retained in the plane of said Wheel, a plurality of hinged, radially extending arms each supporting one of said targets for swinging movement from the plane of the wheel rearwardly toward the axis thereof, a pull-cord operated means to rotate said wheel, and other pull-cord operated means selectively to strike targets from the plane of said rotating wheel.

2. A device of the character described comprising a rotatable wheel, means mounting said wheel for rotation about a horizontal axis, a plurality of targets normally frictionally retained in the plane of said wheel, a plurality of hinged, radially extending arms each supporting one oi: said targets for swinging movement from the plane of the wheel rearwardly toward the axis thereof, a striker pivotally mounted above the axis of the wheel for movement toward and away from said wheel whereby one of said targets may be struck from its normal position during rotation of said wheel, and a pull cord operatively attached to said striker.

3. A device of the character described comprising a rotatable wheel, means mounting said wheel for rotation about a horizontal axis, a plurality of targets normally trictionally retained in the plane of said wheel, a plurality of hinged, radially extending arms each supporting one of said targets for swinging movement from the plane of the wheel rearwardly toward the axis thereof, a resilient bumper radially inward from each of said targets adapted to be struck by said target when so swung, means including a ratchet and dog device and a pull-cord manipulator thereof for rotating said wheel from a distant point, a striker hingedly mounted [or movement toward and away from said Wheel, and pullcord means operably associated with said striker forcibly to move the same into engagement with said targets.

4. A device of the character described comprising a rotatable wheel, means mounting said wheel for freewheeling rotation about a horizontal axis, a plurality of targets normally frictionally retained in the plane of: said wheel, a plurality of hinged, radially extending arms each supporting one of said targets for swinging movement from the plane of the wheel rearwardiy toward the axis thereof, a coil spring bumper radially inward from each of said targets adapted to be struck by said target when so swung, means including a ratchet and dog device and a pull-cord manipulator thereof for initiating rotation of said wheel from a distant point, a striker hingedly mounted above the axis of said wheel and movable in a vertical plane toward and away from said wheel, and pull-cord means operably associated with said striker selectively to move the same into engagement with said targets during rotation of said wheel.

References (listed in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,121,945 Smith Dec. 22, 1914- l,212,943 Hart Ian. 16, 1917 1,942,376 Stavely Jan. 2, 1934 2,232,743 Swenson Feb. 23, 194l 2,486,860 Memmel Nov. l, 1949 2,523,257 Firestone Sept. 19, 1950 

